Lizards are now biggest threat to power supply in Telangana

The tiny but superfast, ubiquitous tribe of lizards have apparently turned out, quite suddenly, to be a major threat to uninterrupted power supply in Telangana, if the responses from power distribution corporations here any indication.

The Telangana Southern Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TGSPDCL) and Northern Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TGNPDCL) have over the last few days been sharing photographs of dead lizards stuck on horn gap (HG) fuses and distribution transformers, blaming the little reptiles for sudden power outages in different parts of the State, right from in Jagtial district to even in the Cyber City circle in Hyderabad.

The responses from the power utilities on social media, especially microblogging site X, is now eliciting sarcastic comments from the public, who are pointing out the frequent power outages and asking how come the lizards were not a threat earlier during the BRS regime, and suddenly started jumping onto to transformers and fuses. The responses from the discoms are mostly on the same lines. For instance, on Thursday, the DE Technical Cybercity, TGSPDCL, sharing the image of a lizard on a DTR responded to a complaint: “Sir, supply restored. Lizard fallen on DTR.”

This was after a software employee posted about power fluctuations at 5 am in the morning. The TGSPDCL, on its part, was quick to respond, with a technician reaching the spot soon.

The reason given for the power issue, according to the technician was that ‘two lizards were fighting on the transformer’.

The issue was however, resolved. With the complainant posting that the issue was resolved, another user commented that if he hadn’t posted that the complaint was solved, an FIR would be filed against him, hinting at the recent instances of the power utilities approaching the police against those who complain.

In reply,



the complainant said: “Actually technician asked to delete the tweet. I said I won’t delete but post an appreciation tweet for timely service and fix. It’s a win-win for both of us…” This was not the first instance of officials from distribution companies in the State citing lizards falling on DTRs as reasons for power interruptions.

On June 18, AE, Chilkanagar in reply to a complaint over no power in Sri Sai Durga Nagar Colony, posted on X: “Supply has been interrupted due to tripping of 11 KV Indira Nagar feeder due to lizard fallen on DTR and HG fuse blown off. Inconvenience is regretted.” Similarly, on June 9, sharing an image of a transformer, SE OP Secunderabad said “Power interruption on 11 KV Krishna Nagar feeder due to lizard fallen on DTR HG fuse at Krishna Nagar and rectified. Inconvenience regretted…”

On Wednesday, the TGNPDCL, responding to a post on a power outage at a Zilla Parishad meeting in Jagtial, had posted the photo of a dead lizard on the fuse and said the lizard had caused the outage, in fact, going on to claim that technicians had resolved the complaint in 1 minute 37 seconds!

The sudden tendency of lizards to fall on transformers and disrupt power supply has triggered quite a few questions and comments, some quite hilarious too. Skywalker2898AD, an X user said: “So the lizard race is hell bent on to interrupt power circulation in Telangana.

Unnecessarily blaming the government. Should form a special action rapid force to arrest all the lizards and its brothers of their race with top priority. Should eliminate the entire race…”

Submarine, another X user said: “So this is the first time a lizard is causing power cut in Telangana?” Nagarjuna Dharmavarapu, another X user posted: “The only doubt one gets is why were these thondalu and lizards not active during BRS government. That needs to be investigated…”